This Bites

Radio Milwaukee

4.0 (20)
FOOD
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Each week on This Bites, dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie Tarik Moody dig into the city’s culinary and restaurant culture to help you find new spots, old favorites and the best ingestibles around Milwaukee.

DEC 12

Tough times, bakery booms, relish trays and holiday pop-ups

It's a "good news, bad news" kind of episode, and we start by ripping off the Band-Aid to talk about the difficult spot Milwaukee restaurants are in currently. Within just a few days, city institutions Beans & Barley and The National both announced plans to close, and several others have publicly pleaded for support as the traditionally slower winter months loom. We do our small part in the podcast by sharing a few important ways you can support the local ecosystem --- from gift cards to positive online reviews to simply visiting more often. On the more positive side of things, Ann dives into Milwaukee's recent "bakery boom," which afforded her the opportunity to sample delightful treats from recently opened spots like Poppy, Matilda and Midwest Sad. She also leans into her Wisconsin native-ness by revealing the secret to a perfect relish tray (hint: it involves a surprising grilled fruit). Finally, you'll hear about the holiday happenings coming up in Milwaukee, including “Noël à Paris” from Charles E. Fromage, a Charles Dickens-themed dinner at the Grain Exchange and a pair of events at Lupi & Iris with pretty distinct tones: a Charlie Brown Christmas and a Laurent-Perrier champagne dinner. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

27 min
DEC 5

Von Trier, Brady Street Japanese and Milwaukee must-haves

Amid the recent sad news about one East Side institution, we’re starting this episode on a much happier note from right up the street, as Von Trier continues its steady pace on the corner of Farwell and North avenues. As Ann pointed out in her Milwaukee Magazine tidbit, we didn’t have much to worry about when the nearly 50-year-old establishment changed hands earlier this year — primarily because those hands belonged to the city’s unofficial preserver of cocktail lounges, John Dye. The man has a demonstrated respect for history, and Von Trier’s first few months under his watch reflect that approach. You can get Ann’s full report (plus a healthy amount of sausage conversation) in the full podcast, which also sees us chatting about: The December 2025 cover story of Milwaukee Magazine, which reveals the area’s 51 can’t-miss food and drinks (according to Ann). The Hanukkah dinner being cooked up by chef Gregory León at Amilinda. The Japanese restaurant set to take over Glorioso's Appetito space on Brady Street. Why hot pot just might be the best way to create a perfect communal Thanksgiving. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

16 min
NOV 21

Red Light Ramen, Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, 1033 Omakase and more

This episode kicks off with big news about the legendary Red Light Ramen, which returns for a special one-night-only pop-up on Nov. 28. Find out what's on the menu, including Tonkatsu ramen, Japanese curry and those famous boozy slushies. Next, we celebrate TrueMan McGee of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls! After pausing a national roll-out, McGee pivoted to the Funky Fresh Virtual Kitchen, now offering weekly online ordering for pickup, meal kits like Tuscan salmon, and exciting pizzas (hello, jalapeño elote!). We also cover the latest dining news, including the new Soban Korean Eatery, billed as Milwaukee’s first fast-casual Korean restaurant, with plans for a downtown location. Plus, the Curry Cat MKE food truck is setting up a permanent spot outside Red Maple, serving Asian-inspired comfort food like golden curry and beef bogey walking tacos. Ann also shares her long-awaited review of 1033 Omakase, the intimate 10-seat spot with a Japanese prix fixe tasting menu. Without spoiling the whole thing, there were 14 courses and a heavy serving of '90s rap. Finally, we discuss the importance of "third spaces" such as Haven Cafe and Serenity Lounge that transition from coffee houses to late-night bars, helping the community connect. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

25 min
NOV 7

Thanksgiving, hidden restaurants, Mariano's closing and more

We pride ourselves on our ability to cover a lot of ground within the confines of this podcast, and this episode might have pushed those skills to new heights as we went from Thanksgiving to food assistance to more secrets from Milwaukee’s dining scene and beyond. The Journal Sentinel’s excellent dining critic Rachel Bernhard thoughtfully gathered information about restaurants offering free assistance to SNAP recipients (the program is called FoodShare in Wisconsin) and then added a few more programs/events in her weekly newsletter. We highlight a few things, but please use those links to see all the ways you can give help or get help. In a much less critical part of this episode, we talk about five places where you can get a humanely raised turkey for your holiday meal. Top billing goes to Riemer Family Farm down in Brodhead, which is already sold out of their small whole turkeys but still has medium and large options available. Other nods go to local spots like Bavette La Boucherie and Becher Meats in West Allis, and the full list is available at Milwaukee Magazine. Also at the magazine, Ann put together a hush-hush collection of hidden restaurants around the area. The coolest one for my money is Azteca Bakery, which peddles items like Mexican pan dulce and richly delicious chocoflan from inside … the Piggly Wiggly on Oklahoma Avenue. She’s got three other options along those lines, all of which you can learn more about in her Milwaukee Magazine article. If two lists aren’t enough, you’re in luck. Going back to the upcoming holiday, Ann jumped to the end of the meal (or the beginning if you’re a nonconformist) to give you 10 places that’ll hook you up with the perfect pie for your Thanksgiving feast. Finally, with the weather turning, that means it’s time for Barnacle Bud’s to turn into Gene’s Supper Club. The flip happened earlier this week, but it looks like the temperature will dip in a big way starting this weekend, giving you all the more reason to visit the extended pop-up between now and Feb. 14. Stay warm, inside and out, as we move into the chilly season, and please find a way to help your community during this tough time. Even if our politicians get their act together, fighting hunger requires more than what our government gives. So give what you can. Thanks. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown's Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

29 min
OCT 31

Secret menu items, a 'Wicked' pop-up, bistros, supper clubs and more

This week, we reveal some of the secrets of our culinary adventures around Milwaukee. And by that we mean we're sharing a few of the city's fantastic secret menu items, including the hush-hush "Carolina" Negroni and off-menu Cacio E Pepe at Calenzo. We also reveal the location of delicious pork tacos at Cloud Red and the rotating "secret handshake menu" at Braise Restaurant. Find those and a few more over at the very not-secretive Milwaukee Magazine website. Something that's definitely not on the down low is the new Wicked-themed pop-up at Onesto (221 N. Broadway) from Nov. 24 through Dec. 1 (with a day off for Thanksgiving). This 21+ event features photo opportunities, appetizers, a chocolate fountain and cocktails like the popular Dubai chocolate espresso martini that "sparkle, smoke and shine." Plus, get ready for Mosaic International Bistro, which will replace Allure MKE and serve globally inspired tapas like Nigerian jollof rice. We also look forward to the launch of The Conroy’s modern supper club dining series, complete with Wagyu carpaccio, dry-aged meatballs, and a fancy "Bubbles and Bumps" happy hour (caviar and champagne); and then we say goodbye to Ouzo Cafe, which closed after 21 years but will continue its catering services. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown.

17 min
OCT 24

The best apple cider donuts, Brandywine’s end, Bucks food and more

Everyone loves a good list, and that’s especially true for food people. We love identifying and then arguing over the best … whatever — burgers, beverages or, in the case of this episode, donuts. Our sweet discussion gets a seasonal spin as we focus on apple cider donuts and nine local (and local-ish) places churning out the orchard-friendly bakery item. Up front, it’s important to note that we haven’t actually been to all of these places. But we're told that the team from Milwaukee Magazine who compiled the list adhered to the strict standards laid down by the nonexistent Donut Review Council of North America. In news we found considerably more sour, the excellent chef-driven restaurant Brandywine announced that it’ll close Nov. 7, and it’s no surprise that every reservation between now and then got snapped up. This was a real gem in Milwaukee’s suburbs — and a real surprise considering chef-owner Andrew Wilson noted that “business has been fantastic.” But, as you’ll hear in the full episode, this appears to be a decision motivated by work-life balance and how difficult (impossible?) that is in the demanding restaurant world. We wrap things up with two more stops around Milwaukee. First, it’s Bartlett Avenue on the East Side, which said goodbye to upscale dining spot The Original in June. Co-owner Craig Rzepka decided to make a return appearance with a more casual concept called OG Pub & Grille set to open soon. Then it’s over to the Deer District, where the Bucks rolled out their new food and drink options for this season.

18 min
OCT 17

Burmese cuisine, Purslane review, Vegan Week and more

We're slicing off another savory section of Milwaukee's culinary scene on this episode, starting with Ann's recent Milwaukee Magazine story about Burmese cuisine that sees her dip into traditional dishes from places like Ni Burmese, Khan Aseya and Taste Amir's Roti. From there, we take a quick trip to another part of the magazine for Ann's take on Purslane, the new chef-owned restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern mezza (small plates) like the intriguing walleye falafel and a vibrant fatouch salad. Leaving the mag behind, it's time (well, almost time) for two major November happenings. Winning the chronological order is Milwaukee's first-ever Vegan Restaurant Week, which is slotted for Nov. 3-9 and will feature specials like vegan donuts at Gather Bake House and a vegan twist on the compact turkey dinner at Comet Cafe. Right in the middle of that veggie celebration is the long-awaited reopening of EsterEv on Nov. 5, which will see them making the big switch from a tasting menu to an a la carte format that'll include favorites like the caviar tater tot. Putting the cap on this episode is a chat about the new Flava House concept moving into the former Heaven’s Table location, as well as a new cocktail from Boone & Crockett’s for those of you who just can't let go of summer. ##### This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

23 min
SEP 26

WI kitchen gear, Omakase, Odd Duck's new chef and more

This week's food news is coming at us from all sides, so let's dig in. First, you'll get the scoop on Nakama, a brand-new omakase restaurant coming to the East Side from the minds behind Screaming Tuna. We're talking an intimate, 11-seat sushi bar experience with fish sourced directly from Tokyo's world-famous Toyosu Market. We also celebrate a thrilling new addition to Odd Duck, as Bryce Stevenson joins the team as chef de cuisine, bringing his acclaimed modern indigenous cooking to the menu. Plus, Ann shares some of her favorite Wisconsin-made kitchen products, including beautiful utensils from a former chef, tasty Soul Brew beverages and Elgato Chocolates that help save endangered wild cats. Check out the full episode for all of those items, plus news on cocktail classes at Agency, changes at St. Kate's and the future of the legendary butter burger at Solly's Grille.

22 min

See All (362)

out of 5

20 Ratings

Difficult to listen to

04/15/2024

A Poor Pairing

I can’t tell if Tarik is trying to be funny and his jokes don’t land or if he really is just not very nice. After just a few episodes it is evident he is jealous of others’ success and opportunities. Ann pulls this podcast; well organized and knowledgeable. A poor pairing of hosts that makes this difficult to listen to despite the interesting content for MKE foodies!
Great and awful

03/10/2024

WiscMusicMan

I have read about Tarik’s accomplishments in other areas. On this show, he is just terrible. Ann is a great writer; has wonderful outlook on the food scene. He has pretty useless observations and I often want to ask him to go do an errand so Ann can just handle the podcast herself. Hasn’t she satisfied her community service requirement?
Good content but....

10/05/2019

Ala Wit

Love hearing about all the food related things in Milwaukee. The length of the show is great as well. BUT you can tell the hosts hate each other. I can hear the eye rolls when they try to banter and it’s not a fun tension either. This show needs two hosts who actually enjoy their jobs.